Meet the Ingermans
by randiroo26
Summary: Ruffnut and Fishlegs: They may seem like the most unlikely couple in Berk, but some of the strongest relationships come from the strangest of places. Though that doesn't negate the fact that they are quite different. How will they overcome their differences as they start their own family? Post-HTTYD3. Rated T for occasional language and one difficult birth chapter.
1. The Evolution of Rufflegs

Ruffnut never wanted to be tied down. Her whole life the only person she needed by her side was her brother. And though he was a pain in her ass, he was always enough. The fun they had together could never be matched with anyone both on or outside of Berk. And so what was the point in trying? Tuffnut could give her the same companionship a husband would. The only thing she couldn't get from him were children, and Odin knew that was the last thing she wanted. Scratch that, that wasn't even the last thing she wanted. She just didn't want it. Ever.

But then they got older and things... Things started to change in ways Ruffnut never imagined.

Tuffnut hadn't found the Astrid to his Hiccup. He said he was quite content on his own, and if Ruffnut ever found someone she shouldn't hesitate to follow her heart ("or other areas" he had added with a wink). Snotlout wouldn't admit that he had found his, but everyone else knew the truth. As for Ruffnut and Fishlegs...

Now, when her mind drifts to Fishlegs, a soft half-smile pulls at her lips. No one had anticipated they actually end up together.

After Fishlegs and Heather realized they belonged in two different places, their responsibilities with two different tribes, Fishlegs had put on a brave face. The other riders had been so impressed with how well he had taken the blow. But Ruffnut could smell a ruse from an ocean away.

She had to admit, he was good; he even had Tuffnut fully convinced before long. Eventually, Ruffnut started to think that maybe he _was_ okay with how everything turned out.

But then she caught him.

It was after the gang had returned from fighting the Dragon Hunters in yet another raid. The raids had grown more and more frequent, and the gang was taking what little time they could to rest. Ruffnut woke in the middle of the night and decided to take a stroll through the Edge to pass the time, maybe set some pranks for Snotlout to wake up to in the morning. She was contemplating what would be the best way to release the boars into Snotlout's hut when a quiet whimpering reached her ears.

She glanced towards the sound and found herself staring at the outer wall of Fishlegs' hut. She thought it was Meatlug whimpering and figured Fishlegs was about to comfort her. But when she turned to walk around the back of the hut, Meatlug looked up at her curiously, wondering what woke her. Ruffnut cocked her head to the side, mirroring the curious tilt of Meatlug's face. If Meatlug was out here, then who-

The whimpering came again from inside the hut. Ruffnut stood perfectly still, considering whether to enter or not. She wasn't exactly someone to jump on the opportunity to be a shoulder to cry on. But hearing the pathetic sound coming from Fishlegs gave her a weird twinge in her chest that she was not fond of.

Meatlug huffed at Ruffnut, calling for her attention. She turned to the dragon, who gave a playful growl before looking towards the hut, then to Ruffnut, then back to the hut. Her gaze then settled on Ruffnut expectantly.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going, I'm going. Pushy dragon," she muttered, turning back to walk to the front of the hut.

She stopped in front of the door. Should she knock? She shrugged and pushed the door open. Knocking wasn't her forte. "Uh... Fishlegs? You alright?"

She looked around the dim room, lit only by a single torch in a holder by the door. Her eyes found a desk in the back corner. She hadn't noticed Fishlegs was leaned over it until she heard a sniff from the same corner and saw the dark shadow of a body snap upright. "Ruffnut? What're you doing here?"

She shrugged, standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Figured you could use some company."

He wiped the wetness from his face and stood, walking to a trunk near his bed and avoiding eye contact. "Why are you even up?"

"Just woke up," she said, eyeing him carefully. "What's wrong?"

"Yeah right, like you really care." He rummaged through the trunk for a blank parchment and a charcoal stick before shuffling back to the desk and plopping into the chair.

Ruffnut considered his statement while he began to scribble furiously in the dark. While he was mostly correct, and she wasn't exactly someone who cared a whole lot about other people's feelings, well... She wasn't heartless either. "If you want me to go, then I'll go. I just thought you might want someone to talk to. You're my friend, Fishlegs. I actually do care when my friends are hurt."

The scribbling slowed until Fishlegs dropped the charcoal, feeling defeated. Ruffnut waited patiently.

The room was silent for quite some time before Fishlegs shook his head. "I know she needed to go with her brother. I get that. She had the chance for a family for the first time - a _real_ family, her _blood_ family - and that's something she's been looking for since she was young."

Ruffnut wanted to offer something along the lines of "brothers aren't that great" but knew she didn't mean it, and also knew it wouldn't help, so she held her tongue.

Fishlegs opened his mouth to speak, but pursed his lips. He took a deep breath before whispering, "Is it awful of me to wish she would realize she hated her brother?"

Ruffnut pouted her lip in consideration. "I mean, yeah, kind of."

Fishlegs turned in his chair to face her now in exasperation. His face quickly dissolved into annoyance and disapproval. "Gee, thanks for _that._ You're _great_ at this advice stuff." He rolled his eyes and turned back to his parchment.

Ruffnut simply shrugged, unfazed. "I could lie to you, but that wouldn't help either. Besides, we all know how you feel about Heather. Just because what you feel is awful, doesn't mean it's not justified."

Fishlegs didn't answer, but she knew he was listening. Despite holding the charcoal to the parchment, no scribbling could be heard. When he didn't move, she continued.

"For example: Tuffnut and I love to mess with Snotlout. Like, all the time. Literally on the daily. In the worst ways we can come up with. Is that awful? I mean, Hiccup thinks so. Is it justified? Heck yeah it is! Snotlout's an asshole!"

She didn't hear it, but she saw the quick bounce of his shoulders, indicating a small chuckle. She carefully ventured further into the hut, walking towards the shriveled boy in the dark corner to lean her backside against the desk next to him.

"You cared about Heather a lot. Maybe even loved her, I don't know, I'm no romantic. And yeah, we all miss her, but you had a connection with her that we didn't. No one blames you for missing her. And no one blames you for those feelings coming out a little more violent than usual." She nudged his shoulder with her fist. He looked up at her with a withering look in his eyes. "It just means you care. A lot. And that's far from awful."

He nodded and looked back down to the parchment in front of him. "I guess," he replied quietly.

"It's sweet."

Ruffnut wasn't sure why she said it, and she didn't realize she actually had until after the words rolled off her tongue. Fishlegs looked up, his eyebrows furrowed but a small smile across his lips. "Thanks, Ruff."

She just smiled and nodded. "You should get some sleep, you know. I'm sure Hiccup is hatching some great plan to get back at Viggo and Krogan. Might as well get the rest while we still can."

They said their goodnights to each other and Ruffnut slipped back into the darkness, taking a deep breath. "Well that was terrible," she said to herself, walking back towards her hut. The boars would have to wait; that heartfelt discussion thoroughly wore her out.

Though she had to admit, it _was_ pretty nice.

And from that night on, the friendship between Fishlegs and Ruffnut only grew. It honestly did start as just a close friendship. Ruffnut had no interest in romance; Fishlegs just always made her feel comfortable. By the time the group moved back to Berk permanently, the only person closer to Ruffnut than Fishlegs was her own twin brother.

It wasn't until the dragons left that the friendship grew into something more. Fishlegs was always so lost, often wandering around the village aimlessly, staring off into space and shuffling sadly by. It honestly broke Ruffnut's heart, especially when she caught his hand absentmindedly raising to pat Meatlug's rough skin, only to pet air. With no dragons to study, he never knew where to go or what to do. He often helped Hiccup with all the plans for buildings and inventions for New Berk, but Hiccup had a long list of other things he had to do throughout the day as well, and eventually a wife to go home to. When Fishlegs wasn't with Hiccup, he just... Wasn't present. Physically he was, but the distant look in his eyes confirmed that he just wasn't with it.

Tuffnut and Ruffnut both would try to pull Fishlegs into their daily fun, but Fishlegs' heart just wasn't in it. Tuffnut shook it off quickly, unfazed because he didn't really think Fishlegs would be up to it anyway. After all, Ruffnut was the one that suggested they try to include him. But Ruffnut refused to give up on him that quickly. So whenever her brother was distracted, she would wander the village until she found Fishlegs and simply pull him over to Meade Hall or over to the cliffs and just talk. They talked about everything. Events in the village, occasional gossip, how Hiccup and Astrid are doing as Chief and Chieftess, the next crazy stunt Tuff and Ruff were planning, Tuffnut's beard, Snotlout's complicated love life, eventually Zephyr... They never ran out of things to talk about, both trivial and important. And the more they talked, the more personal their discussions got.

Ruffnut could never pinpoint the exact moment she fell in love, but when she finally realized it, there was no turning back. And the moment she realized was the one should could remember in perfect detail.

They were back on their cliff, a little outcropping carved into the side of the rock with a complicated pathway leading down to it that took the two several moon cycles to memorize. They preferred this place to escape to because no one else knew where it was. It gave them a sense of privacy in secrecy. And before long, they found themselves escaping daily, typically right around sunset.

Fishlegs was talking about a new species of plant he had found while hiking along the island, comparing it to other plants he had found across the Archipelago and musing at different potential uses for it. Ruffnut caught herself smiling at the way Fishlegs spoke so enthusiastically. He spent so long after the dragons left being forlorn that she forgot how happy and carefree he could be. Seeing him like this again made her heart soar; she knew he had finally moved on and was accepting the new life after the dragons, one of the last on New Berk to do so. But that was okay. Fishlegs loved the dragons more than anyone, save Hiccup.

The more Ruffnut saw the old Fishlegs returning in just that conversation, the more she found her gaze drifted to his lips. She had a feeling, deep in her chest, that she couldn't quite describe. A type of longing she wasn't familiar with. He held out a card in his hand, showing her a sketch of the plant he was discussing. She took the opportunity to scoot closer until their shoulders were brushing against each other to admire the work Fishlegs had done.

She made an honest effort to examine the card he held out, but it wasn't long before her eyes drifted to his hand... Up his arm... Past his elbow... Across his biceps... Over his shoulder...

Her eyes met his, inches away. Their noses bumped together, causing the two to pull back. But to the surprise of them both, they pulled back only enough to prevent touch, as if a string was pulling them together. Fishlegs tilted his head ever so slightly, just a twitch, wanting to close the distance but not having the guts to.

But that almost imperceptible twitch of the head blew that urge inside Ruffnut to unresistable proportions. She tilted her head and closed the distance in a quick and smooth motion, praying to the gods Fishlegs wouldn't react negatively.

But when she felt him melt into her, his soft lips moving effortlessly against hers with no hint of hesitation, a warmth bloomed in Ruffnut's stomach. It seeped into her chest and touched her heart in a way she was not familiar with. The relief that swept over them both from finally giving in after years of wondering if this is what they were meant to be only made the feeling sweeter, stronger. And she knew she never wanted it to end.

When the two finally broke apart, breathlessly and wordlessly shocked yet comfortably delighted, they didn't speak. Neither needed to; Ruffnut simply leaned her head against Fishlegs' chest as he sat against the rock wall behind him, admiring the woman beside him whom he realized was so much more beautiful than the sunset outside their hideaway. They both closed their eyes and simply enjoyed each other's company in a way they never had before, knowing their relationship would never return to the platonic place it had previously been. And neither was upset about that fact.

Had it not been for the chilly wind cutting through their clothing as the darkness of night swept over the land, they would have stayed there until the morning sun announced the time to begin work once again. They milked every last second they could before giving into the shivering and admitting it was time to go home.

Ruffnut sighed, wishing they had simply brought a blanket or some supplies for a small fire so they could stay; the thought had never occured to either of them before.

Fishlegs smiled and kissed Ruffnut's hair. "We can come back tomorrow, you know."

Ruffnut scoffed. "And then we have to go home afterwards again."

The smile on Fishlegs' lips widened, glad that she was also upset about the little detail. "Yeah, I guess we would."

Ruffnut reached up to hold Fishlegs' hand that was resting on her shoulder and turned her head deeper into the skin of his shoulder, enjoying his personal scent that rolled off of him. Her eyes fluttered open and the words tripped out of her mouth before she thought them through. "Let's get married."

Fishlegs was quiet for a moment, long enough that Ruffnut regretted being so bold (a first, to be honest). "Really?" he finally said.

Ruffnut couldn't decide if this was a good or bad question. "Yeah. I mean, if you want. It's not like we haven't already been married before," she added with a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood and hide her anticipation for his answer.

He chuckled, remembering the accidental Viking Union ceremony they thought was binding for a day back on the Edge. His smile widened again, and spoke softly. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Ruffnut's heart raced at his words. "Is that a yes, then?"

Fishlegs kissed her hair and held her tight. "Yes. I would be overjoyed to marry you. Again."

* * *

The comment about the accidental Viking union ceremony is a reference to the Netflix owned series _Dragons: Race to the Edge_ Season 2, Episode 5 "Snotlout Gets the Axe."


	2. The New Ruff

_This story is a continuation of a chapter in my other story "Life After They Left," Chapter 6: Brothers. The chapter is all about Ruffnut keeping Zephyr company while Astrid is in labor with Nuffink (Hiccup at her side, of course). Feel free to read that chapter first for a little more context if you haven't read Life After They Left already! (Reading the whole story is not necessary if you don't want to, all chapters in Life After They Left are written as oneshots that may make minor references to other chapters within the same story. Meet the Ingermans exists in the same timeline as well!)_

* * *

Ruffnut watched as Hiccup carried his daughter up the stairs to see Astrid and the new baby. The way Zephyr looked up at her father with trust and confidence. The way Hiccup lovingly smiled down at her and held her close. The way the two naturally knew how to interact and hold each other. They disappeared into the second floor, leaving Ruffnut by herself in the Chief's sitting room. Her mind drifted to Fishlegs, imagining what it would be like if he carried their own daughter up the stairs, telling her tales of dragons and far-off enemies and his beloved Meatlug.

When her head caught up with her thoughts, she realized she had never thought of herself as a mother before. She knew Fishlegs wanted children, but she also knew he didn't push the subject because he was aware of her thoughts on the matter. But seeing how happy Hiccup was with his daughter, how excited he was to have a son, she realized she wanted to see that joy in Fishlegs as well.

The only question is, did she want to give Fishlegs a child more than she _didn't_ want to be a mother?

The question baffled her as she stood and walked out the front door. Ruffnut, considering motherhood? What has the world come to!

She always knew Fishlegs would be a great father. After all, he naturally became a teacher, both official and unofficial, to the young ones in the village. And he taught them _everything._ It was obvious which children valued the lessons because they flocked at his feet and followed him all day long through the village, hungry for information on anything he was willing to share. Zephyr was one of them, when she wasn't with her father. Ruffnut could recall numerous days over the past year where Hiccup would swing by in the morning with the little girl, an apologetic look on his face when he said she begged to stay with "Uncle Fishy" instead of Grandma for the day.

Fishlegs, of course, was the happiest on those days. Yes, he loved teaching all of the children, but he of course had a much more special bond with his niece, carrying her around on his hip all day and teaching her all kinds of things in ways a toddler would easily understand. Not because she was the Chief's daughter, but because he was his best friend's daughter. And since he and Ruffnut didn't have kids of their own, Fishlegs tended to spill that fatherly love over Zephyr instead.

To be fair, this isn't the first time Ruffnut had thought Fishlegs should have kids, even since their marriage. This was, however, the first time she didn't immediately dismiss the fact after realizing _she_ would have to be the one to bear those children. Something about her interaction with Zephyr earlier today made her rethink the issue. The way Zephyr immediately trusted Ruffnut just because Hiccup referred to her as Zephyr's aunt. The way she thanked Ruffnut for being with her through a hard time and trying her best to comfort her even though Ruffnut was awful at it. It was a much different bond than Ruffnut had experienced with anyone before. Different than any friendship or partnership or relationship. Different than her experience with Fishlegs or her own parents. Different than that with her own brother.

Different didn't always excite Ruffnut. Not in this sense, at least.

Ruffnut didn't realize she had made it home until she felt the cool metal of the doorknob in her hand, instinctively reaching to open the door. She looked up into the sky, worried that Fishlegs might be home for lunch due to the high positioning of the sun.

She turned the knob and cracked open the door. She knew he was in fact home when the clanging of a wooden spoon against a metal pot reached her ears. Oh boy, here we go.

She took a deep breath and pushed the door open, walking in to face her husband who had no idea of the ongoing battle in her mind. At the sound of her footsteps, Fishlegs turned his head and flashed a bright smile. "Welcome home, my queen. You're back much earlier than I thought. What did Hiccup need?"

Ruffnut felt the swell of warmth engulf her chest that she had grown accustomed to at the loving welcome from her husband. The kind of swell that only her husband could make her feel, and she loved every minute of it. "Astrid went into labor apparently. He wanted me to sit with Zephyr."

Fishlegs' brow furrowed in concern as he watched his wife walk fully in the door and sit down at their small table. "Labor? She's not far enough along for that, is she?"

Ruffnut shook her head. "Nope. She had that kid out in no time, too. But I guess everything's okay. I doubt Hiccup would've been so happy if something was wrong."

Fishlegs nodded his head and turned back to the stew that Ruffnut knew didn't need so much attention. It was the same stew they had last night for dinner; it only had to be heated. "Well that's good. I know he was excited about having another baby."

Ruffnut looked up at her husband, who was avoiding eye contact with her. She bit her lip and looked down at her hands fidgeting on the table, guilt clenching her heart. Hiccup was very happy about the second baby, and seeing his face light up like she'd never seen before made Ruffnut long to see such happiness on her own husband's face.

She wanted it. She wanted it so much more than not wanting kids. Just the thought of the happiness and fulfillment she knew Fishlegs would get from it made the latter entirely irrelevant. And sure, after her morning with Zephyr, she knew she would probably feel the same. But the fact that pushed her over the edge was her husband's feelings.

She took a deep breath, still looking at her hands. "You know... We've been married almost three years now."

Fishlegs was confused by the sudden shift in the conversation. "Yeah, in two moons' time."

When she didn't say anything else, he turned to find her nervously bouncing her leg and looking at her fingers as she picked at the skin around her nail bed. He watched her for a while, but just as he was about to ask why she was so nervous, she spoke again. "Most, uh... Most couples have their first kid in the first year after they marry."

Fishlegs was stunned into silence. Ruffnut sort of expected that, so she just kept her focus on her hands, trying to slow the bouncing in her leg.

He spoke sooner than she anticipated. "I thought you didn't want to have kids."

Ruffnut's leg slowed to a stop as she looked up at her husband, expression remaining deadpan as she looked into his shocked one. "I thought you did."

He just blinked back at her for a moment. "I... I thought... You didn't..."

"But you do," she repeated. "Don't you?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but quickly closed it again.

Ruffnut sighed internally, growing frustrated. "Babe, please, just be honest with me."

He opened his mouth again, but still didn't reply. She raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Just say it, babe, I already know the answer."

"Then why do you need me to say it?"

"Because I need to hear it."

He considered for a moment, eyebrows furrowing as if in pain. He looked back at the forgotten stew just for something else to look at aside from his wife's accusational glare. "Yeah. Yeah, it'd be nice to have a baby of our own."

Ruffnut nodded, satisfied to finally hear him admit it. The couple had avoided the subject for years, understanding long before their wedding that they wanted different things. And at the time, they were fine with that.

At the time.

He continued, the guilt burrowing a hole in his heart. "But, sweetheart, that doesn't mean we have t-"

"I want to have a baby."

Ruffnut and Fishlegs stared at each other, neither one able to read the other's expression, and neither wanted to be the first to break the silence. And so they remained like that, completely still, no sound filling the room but the occasional crack of the fire.

Fishlegs was the first to resurface. "What?" he asked, his voice quiet and exasperated.

Ruffnut opened her mouth only to close it before repeating her words. "I... I think we should have a baby. I want to give you a baby."

Fishlegs stood slowly, crossing the distance between him and his wife. His eyes never left hers as he sat in a chair beside her, folding his hands over her own that were now again perched on the table. He gave them a gentle squeeze. "Sweetie... You don't have to do this for me, you're enough. I love you, I don't need kids."

"But you _want_ them. And I want you to have them. Or at least one." She kept her eyes locked onto his, enforcing she was serious about this and not backing down.

"I don't want to make you do this just for me. I'd never forgive myself." Tears began welling up in his eyes, and Ruffnut's heart broke.

She refused to back down as tears began to cloud her vision as well. "You're not making me. I'm the one suggesting it. I want to do this."

He shook his head, now speechless.

She stood and motioned for him to scoot back from the table. He obliged, and she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck like they always do. She cupped her hands around his cheeks, brushing her lips against his forehead before leaning her own against the spot she just kissed. "Please, let me do this for you. I want to have kids with you."

Fishlegs chuckled. "You'll never have to convince me to try to get you pregnant," he joked. But then he turned serious again. "I just don't want you to do this unless you're absolutely comfortable with it. If you don't want kids, we won't have kids."

She smiled and brushed her lips against his, lingering until she felt his heart quicken beneath her hand on his chest. "I want to."

He pulled back just enough to clearly see her face. "You promise me this is truly what you want? That you're not just saying all this because you know it's what I want to hear? Promise?"

She smiled easily. "I promise."

The smile that then overtook her husband's face was enough to supply her with happiness to Valhalla and beyond. She was afraid her heart would burst as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight to his chest. "Oh Thor, we're actually going to have a baby," he shrieked in excitement.

_Oh Thor indeed,_ Ruffnut thought to herself. But if she was being honest, she was just as excited as her husband. And it was quite easy for them in all the excitement to try for the first time right away, not even making it out of the kitchen.


	3. Girl Talk

It happened.

_It already happened._

Why?! Why did she agree to this?! She wasn't ready for this! _What was she thinking?!_

Ruffnut paced back and forth, convinced she was wearing a permanent line in the floor of their small home, counting the days that had gone by.

Almost three full moons. _Three full moons._ And she hadn't even noticed! She was too busy having... Uh, having "fun" with her husband every single night! She'd never been so happy! He was so excited and carefree, something she hadn't truly seen in him since his beloved Meatlug no longer walked by his side.

6 moons they had been trying, and Ruffnut had become convinced it just wouldn't happen. She was okay with this; she was honestly still trying to figure out what she had been thinking that night 6 moons ago. However Fishlegs, her wonderful husband, hadn't lost hope. Each time she had to tell him she hadn't conceived, he just smiled and said, "That's okay. Next time."

Every time. Each of the four times.

Only four.

Ruffnut should be preparing for the _seventh_.

She skipped _two_.

She _never _skipped. Ever. Not since the very first cycle when she was thirteen. Not to mention all the times she woke up sick from what she had _thought_ was dinner the previous night and the increased number of emotional blow outs she had over the past weeks. Tuffnut had made fun of her for each one, causing an even _bigger_ blow out focused on him and him alone each time.

_What had she been thinking?!_

Ruffnut sighed and stopped pacing. She knew what she had been thinking. She had been thinking about how happy she could make her husband, and how she would learn to be a good mother if it meant giving her husband the one thing he most desired in his life. He always told Ruffnut she was enough, but she knew better. She knew he wanted children. But he would never admit it because he also knew she didn't.

She just wanted to see that brightness come back to his eyes that he had lost with the dragons...

And that thought is what gave her the courage to woman up, and walk to the healer's hut. She had to know for sure (even though there really wasn't another explanation). She didn't want to get his hopes up. She could do this.

She marched to the door and reached to open it. Yeah, she could do this! No big deal. Just tell them what's up and then she'll be on her way! She took a deep breath and stepped into the fresh ai- _SMACK!_

"Ruff! Oh Thor, babe, are you okay?" Fishlegs immediately caught his wife in his arms, holding her steady until she regained her bearings.

"Yeah, I'm-" Ruffnut looked up into her husband's eyes, and suddenly all her confidence was lost.

"Ruff? You sure you're alright?" Concern immediately flooded into his eyes at her frightened expression.

She laughed - why did she laugh? - and kissed his cheek. "Yepp, everything's great! Love you, be back for dinner!" She hurried past him down the steps and rushed down the path.

Fishlegs stood stunned in the doorway. "Uh... Okay? Be careful!" He called after her, quite confused.

Oh Thor, oh Thor, oh Thor... How was she supposed to tell him anything if she was just going to crumble the minute she looked at him?! Ruffnut walked in a daze, not really aware of where she was going as she tried to sort through her tangled thoughts. She wasn't even aware she had knocked on a door until someone opened it before her.

"Ruffnut? Is everything okay?"

Ruffnut looked up into the eyes of Hiccup Haddock. She glanced around for a moment, realizing she was in fact standing on the threshold of the Chief's home. She looked back to his expectant look and raised eyebrows. "Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, everything's good."

"Did you need something, then?"

"No, why?"

"Be... Because you knocked on my door," he replied, pointing a thumb at said door as his brows furrowed over his eyes.

"Uh, right... Um-"

"Aunt Ruffie!" a small voice cried. Zephyr squeezed around her father's legs and out into the cool air, holding her arms out to Ruffnut.

"Hey, kid," she said, scooping Zephyr up into her arms and hugging her tight. She looked back at Hiccup, realizing something as she hugged her niece. "Um, is Astrid home?"

Hiccup seemed even more confused. "Yeah, she's just upstairs with the baby. You can go talk to her if you'd like." He stepped out of the way, inviting Ruffnut inside.

"Why you gotta talk to Momma, Aunt Ruffie?" Zephyr asked innocently.

"Oh, um, I just have some... Big girl stuff I want to ask her."

"Zephyr, do you want to help me make dinner?" Hiccup asked, holding his arms out to his daughter.

Her eyes lit up as she nodded and leaned into her father's grasp. He sat her on the hip of his good leg and carried her into the kitchen, eyeing Ruffnut the entire time. His concerned glance followed her up the stairs until she disappeared into the second floor.

Once Ruffnut stepped onto the second floor landing, she realized she had never been this far into the Chief and Chieftess' home and had no idea where she was going. She looked around at the multiple doors lining the hallway, wondering which one Astrid was hiding behind. But then her eyes caught a large door at the end of the hallway, covered in an ornate design of a Night Fury and a Deadly Nadar intricately circling around one another. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling just a little. "Talk about 'dramatic flair,'" she muttered to herself. Convinced this would of course be the door to Hiccup and Astrid's room, she approached it and knocked nervously.

"Come in?" Ruffnut recognized Astrid's voice, lifting up in question as to who would be knocking on the door.

Ruffnut took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open just enough to peak her head in. Looking around the door, she scanned the room until she found Astrid sitting in a chair with her small son in her arms,

"Ruffnut?" Astrid said, slightly surprised with a hint of curiosity and concern.

"Hey, Astrid," Ruffnut replied, lacking all confidence she usually enters any room with.

"You can come in," Astrid invited, gesturing to a chair next to her in front of a table strewn with parchments and books. Ruffnut assumed it was Hiccup's workspace. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, of course." Ruffnut attempted to add a chuckle as she entered the room. The sound was closer to choking. She cleared her throat as she pulled out the chair and sat next to Astrid. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Astrid encouraged with a warm smile.

Ruffnut bit her lip and glanced over the table just for something to look at other than the woman and baby beside her. She still wasn't entirely sure what she wanted from Astrid, but she felt she needed to talk to her.

When Ruffnut didn't speak, Astrid continued. "You don't exactly drop by often just to visit, no offense, so something must be bothering you." When she still didn't reply, Astrid shifted the baby into one arm and reached her now free hand to grasp Ruffnut's. She waited until Ruff met her gaze. "But you are my friend, and I want to help if I can. You can talk to me. What's bothering you?"

Ruffnut took a deep breath, not even sure where to begin.

Astrid squeezed her hand gently, giving a warm smile and an expectant nod. "It's okay, just... Start talking."

"Fishlegs and I were trying to have a baby," Ruff blurted out.

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, Fishlegs did mention that. Are you having second tho-"

"And I think it worked."

Astrid paused, taking in Ruffnut's terrified glance. "I guess it's a little late for second thoughts then, isn't it?" she joked, smiling at her friend.

Ruffnut glazed right over the joke. "I... What do I do, Astrid?"

"Well, how late are you?" Astrid asked.

"Two."

"Weeks?"

"Moons. Almost three."

Astrid blinked. "And... You're just now realizing or just now admitting?"

"Realizing."

Astrid stayed quiet for a moment, seeing the turmoil building in Ruffnut's eyes. She saw something she didn't quite recognize in Ruffnut, something she hadn't seen before on her face.

Ruffnut stood suddenly, beginning to pace. "Okay, I mean, I knew it was going to happen at some point, right? Like obviously when I told Fishlegs I wanted to give him kids I understood that _I_ would end up pr-" She froze unable to say the word, but then shook her head and moved on. "Like I get that was obviously what had to happen for us to have kids but... But..." She stopped pacing and met Astrid's patient gaze. When their eyes met and Astrid could get a better look at Ruffnut's face, she was able to place the look of fear and desperation that she couldn't recognize before. "The whole time all I thought about was how happy it would make Fishlegs to have a baby. And I wanted to see that happiness in him again _so bad,_ Astrid. I just..." She dropped her arms and looked at the floor, unconsciously sinking back into the chair again.

"You never considered how you felt about all of it," Astrid offered. Ruffnut met her gaze again, and Astrid didn't need verbal confirmation that she was right; the withering look in Ruffnut's eyes was enough. Astrid nodded, and then chuckled, lightly adding, "You might want to figure it out soon, Ruff."

"I'm not a mom, Astrid," Ruffnut said quietly.

"And I was?" Astrid laughed.

"But you've always had that protective instinct," Ruffnut insisted. "You've always been the leader that watches over everyone else and makes sure everyone else gets their asses in line and doesn't just stand back while all Hel breaks loose and watches it unfold like it's some form of twisted entertainment, does that sound like a mother to you?!"

Astrid calmly nodded, considering. "Maybe not, but neither does some crazy girl with anger issues throwing around an axe for fun and running off into battle first chance she gets."

Ruffnut sighed. "What's your point?"

"Motherhood isn't something you _are,_ it's something you _become."_ When Ruffnut didn't answer, Astrid continued, standing so she could pace to comfort the now fussy Nuffink in her arms. "Sure, maybe I was a little more ready to find out I was pregnant. Hiccup and I had wanted it from the moment we married. I was beyond ready. Partly because I wanted to make sure he had an heir, sure, but mostly I just wanted a family with this man I had been in love with since before he knew who he was. But that doesn't mean I didn't doubt whether or not I could be a good mother."

Ruffnut looked up at the woman gently rocking the small babe in her arms. She shook her head. "I'm terrified. I'm going to ruin this kid."

"I thought the same thing." Astrid shrugged. "Zephyr seemed to turn out alright."

Ruffnut huffed and looked back to the floor, frustrated that Astrid wouldn't just _listen_ to what she was saying.

Astrid looked down at her sweet little boy now calm in her arms. She approached Ruffnut and gently moved to hand the babe over to her.

"Oh, no, Astrid, I really-"

Astrid didn't listen to the protests as she held Nuffink to Ruff's chest, giving Ruffnut no choice but to wrap her arms around the boy before Astrid let go.

He was so _small._ Everything about him was small. His hands, his eyes, his nose, his fingers; his size alone made Ruffnut feel like she was holding a fragile bag of precious ancient artifacts like the ones Fishlegs loved to study. Not to mention how soft and thin his skin seemed. Everything about him screamed _breakable_ to Ruffnut.

But at the same time, it all screamed _innocence._ They way his little nose scrunched up, communicating he wasn't sure what was going on but he wasn't fond of it. His fingers grasped at air as he explored this new person he didn't recognize, eyes sweeping over his aunt's face. His eyes fluttered and squeezed shut as his body gently shuttered through a sneeze, making Ruffnut chuckle. The phenomenon must have frightened him, for his eyes welled up with tears and a small cry rang out from his chest. Ruffnut smiled as she gently shushed him and rocked him side to side in her arms.

"Some things just come naturally, even to girls like us," Astrid softly said, a gently smile meeting Ruffnut's gaze.

Ruffnut returned a smile, but she still wasn't entirely convinced it would all be okay. "What about the things that don't come naturally?" She took in the fact that she was still stiff as she held Nuffink even after she had relaxed and felt comfortable enough holding him. "What about the times I just can't soften up enough?"

"Ruffnut," Astrid said, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees, "you have your _husband_. Remember him? The one you wanted to do all this for in the first place? He's literally the softest human being in the entire Archipelago, and beyond!" She reached out and set her hand over Ruffnut's again, giving a gently squeeze. "You don't have to do everything by yourself. Let Fishlegs be a father; you guys are a team. What doesn't come naturally and you can't figure out on your own you'll learn from him, just like he'll learn from you."

Ruffnut closed her eyes and sighed at herself. Her _husband_, of course. "You're right. Of course you're right."

"Speaking of your husband, you might want to go back home and tell him the good news," Astrid gently prompted. Then she held out her hands. "Also, I'd like my son back. This boy will learn to be snuggly with his Momma."

"You can take him," Ruff replied gratefully, trying to figure out how to hold the fragile little bundle out from her body and back to his mother. Astrid didn't think twice, she reached down and scooped him right up.

Ruffnut took one more look at Astrid holding her son in her arms, softly cooing at him as she walked to the bedroom door. She tried to imagine herself holding her own baby like that, but the picture just wouldn't come together in her mind. Astrid looked up, recognizing the expression of clear concentration and concern in Ruffnut's eyes. "I know," she said with a knowing smile. "But I promise, it'll come to you. Just give it time."

Ruffnut took a deep breath and nodded, deciding to trust her friend. She stood and followed Astrid down the stairs to the front door, passing Hiccup and Zephyr in the kitchen.

"Bye, Aunt Ruffle!" little Zephyr cried from the counter where she sat.

"See ya, kid. Bye, Haddock," Ruffnut said as she walked outside and started home, anxious and completely terrified to face her husband.

Hiccup set Zephyr on the floor and moved to stand behind his wife, resting a hand on her hip and kissing her hair. "So, what was that all about?"

"Something tells me Fishlegs will tell you tomorrow," Astrid cooed, focused on her son as she tickled his tiny, pink cheek. Hiccup chuckled as the boy's face scrunched in displeasure, hands swiping the air. Astrid huffed quietly as she retreated back inside to the sitting area around the firepit next to her daughter. "I think we broke this one, babe. He's a Haddock that won't constantly cuddle."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and chuckled again as shut the door. "Don't worry, I'm sure it was my fault."

* * *

"You can do this Ruffnut you can _do this,"_ Ruffnut chanted to herself as she walked up to her front door. She took a deep breath and shook off the feeling of familiarity; here she was yet again preparing to walk in the door as her husband cooked a meal to talk to him about babies for the second time just a half year later. How many times had Astrid done this? How many times had Astrid been _this nervous_ doing this?

"Um, Ruff?"

Ruffnut looked up to Fishlegs holding the front door open with concerned eyes.

"Is everything alright, my queen? Are you feeling sick again?" he said, reaching out a hand.

Ruffnut noticed her arms were folded over her chest. She sheepishly unfolded one arm to rest her hand in Fishlegs'. "Maybe a little," she muttered.

"Well then come in, silly, let's sit you down." He pulled her inside and rested his hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her to the fireplace.

Ruffnut sat down, watching as her husband wrapped furs over her shoulders before returning to the meat he was preparing in the kitchen. She contemplated how to tell her husband the "good news" as Astrid had put it, but the longer she thought about it the more anxious and nervous she grew. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. "Fishlegs-"

"I'll get the bucket!" he said, rushing across the kitchen.

"No! No, babe, I'm not going to be sick, I just..."

Fishlegs set the bucket back down, confused. Ruffnut wasn't typically so shy. He thought it was absolutely adorable on her, but it also wasn't typical Ruff. He sat down next to her and tightened the furs around her shoulders, squeezing her arms gently to massage the tension away. "What is it, babe? What's wrong?"

As soon as his hands touched her shoulders, she instantly relaxed. She was able to take a deep breath and think clearly for the first time that day. She was able to see the blessing in front of her for what it was, and understand that, sure, she can be terrified, but it'll all be okay. She can do this.

Because she'll have him.

She took a deep breath. "I... Need to tell you something."

"Did your cycle start again?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "Because if it did, it's okay. We'll just try again. Sometimes it takes a while, that's okay." He kissed her cheek and smiled sweetly at her.

Ruffnut bit her lip, anxious now only for his reaction and not about the news itself. "Actually... It didn't."

Fishlegs paused. "Didn't what?" he asked slowly.

"My cycle. It didn't start again," she repeated, watching the spark of realization in his eyes.

"So you mean..." he said with a smile.

"Considering I skipped 2 cycles and I'm pretty close to skipping a third, I... I'm pretty sure we did it." Ruffnut bit her lip and eyed her husband carefully.

She expected some big outburst, and overjoyed cry and hugging and kissing and even crying, but... Fishlegs was completely calm. He simply sat there, gently stroking Ruffnut's cheek with his thumb. His eyebrows pinched together for just a moment before he wrapped his wife in his arms and pulled her onto his lap. Ruffnut rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as he rubbed her back. "How do you feel about that?" he asked softly.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "Terrified," she admitted.

"Me too. But it's going to be okay." She could hear the smile radiating in his voice, the gentle rhythm of his words and relaxing lilt of his tone drifting her to a state of peace.

She smiled, enjoying his embrace. "I know."

He lifted her chin with his finger and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, knocking his helmet to the side and letting it tumble onto the couch beside them. "You know, I really expected more of a reaction from you."

He simply smiled and pulled her closer to his chest. "Don't worry, I'm ecstatic," he assured her, kissing her hair as she happily snuggled into his warmth again. "I just really want to enjoy this moment."


	4. Snoggletog and New Traditions

_I know I disappeared for a bit and I am SO SORRY! But I am back!_

_I had some medical issues with a back injury and I was internet-less in my apartment for a bit, but I have internet access again and my back seems to be doing better. Which means I have some SERIOUS pent up writing to catch up on. Which just means quicker updates for you guys! Yay!_

_This chapter is a little almost companion-type chapter to "Snoggletog and Mommy's Axe" over in **Life After They Left** if any of you guys read that. And if not then oh well :) Also if there's anything specific you'd like to see between these two lovebirds, please let me know! I LOVE hearing what you guys are interested in!_

_Enjoy all the fluff and I'll see you guys soon!_

* * *

Fishlegs bounded into the forge, nearly knocking over the Chief as he tried to stop against his own momentum. Gobber and Hiccup both flipped their heads around as Fishlegs tried to catch his breath.

"Woah, Fishlegs! You haven't been eating those weird mushrooms at the edge of the forest again, have you?" Hiccup asked with a chuckle.

Fishlegs froze and met Hiccup's eyes, pointing a finger at him. "Never. Again. No! I have to get Ruffnut's Snoggletog present finished! And _you're_ helping me, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Hiccup replied. "You haven't stopped talking about it since Nuffink's nameday."

"You know this is important, Hiccup. I'm still not convinced Ruffnut is okay with all this baby stuff." Fishlegs' glance fell sheepishly to the ground.

Hiccup shared a look with Gobber before walking over to his friend, grasping his shoulders. When Fishlegs met his eyes, he said, "Fishlegs, this is Ruffnut we're talking about. She's the stubbornest viking in all of New Berk next to my own bride, and definitely the loudest. If she wasn't okay with it, you would know."

Fishlegs huffed but nodded his head in agreement. "I still won't feel better until I know it's ready for tomorrow. It has to be _perfect,_ so Ruffnut can see without a doubt that this is our new family, and this is _right_."

Hiccup nodded with a smile, setting aside a child-sized, intricately designed axe and pulling over the components of Fishlegs' gift from the nearby shelf. "Have you decided which one you're going to design it after?"

Fishlegs smiled. "Something like that."

"I've tried, Astrid, but for the life of me I can't think of what to give him."

Ruffnut sat in a chair around the Haddock's fire pit with Zephyr sitting quietly in her lap, absentmindedly running her fingers through the girl's soft hair. The moment Zephyr had seen her aunt, she had ripped her locks out of their signature pigtails, insisting that Ruffnut redo them (much to Astrid's annoyance).

Astrid chuckled as she attempted to wrangle in a squirming Nuffink. "You're giving him a _child, _Ruff, is anything else really necessary?"

"You and I both know he's at the forge with Hiccup right now working on something _amazing._ And I've got yak dung for h- Zephyr, kid, I told you I don't know how to braid like your mom does." Ruffnut smiled down at the anxious little girl who was now patting Ruffnut's cheek.

"But how come Momma knows a different way?" Zephyr asked.

"Because she knows the fancy way. I don't."

"But... But how come Momma knows it and you don't, Aunt Ruffie?"

"Because she's married to the Chief," Ruffnut replied. Zephyr opened her mouth, but wasn't able to form her next question. Her eyebrows pinched together as she tried to puzzle through the nonexistent connection between braiding knowledge and the royal bloodline.

Astrid chuckled again and shook her head before bringing her attention back to Ruffnut. "Fishlegs is a lot like Hiccup, right? He's great at giving thoughtful gifts, but he's not exactly a material person. Remember my betrothal gift to Hiccup?"

"You mean the one you never got him?"

"Exactly," Astrid confirmed. "And he and I are doing just fine, aren't we?" Nuffink cried out in Astrid's arms, leaning over as if trying to grasp the floor. "Alright, alright, you little Terrible Terror," Astrid muttered, setting the boy down onto the floor. He looked around for a moment as if surprised he earned his freedom before rolling onto his hands and knees and taking off. Zephyr laughed and hopped down off of Ruffnut's lap, dashing after her brother.

"Thor almighty, how long has he been doing that?" Ruffnut asked, slightly horrified.

"Oh, he's been getting better over the last moon or so," Astrid sighed, shaking her head. "That one's going to give us trouble. I have a bad feeling he's got too much of Hiccup's recklessness in him."

"Then Odin help us all," Ruffnur muttered as she rolled her eyes.

Astrid snorted. "Alright, back to your problem. Why don't you just cook his favorite meal? Something simple that he'll appreciate."

"You think that'll be enough?"

"For Fishlegs? All he cares about right now is that little bundle in your belly and you yourself. He's already the happiest man in the world."

_Favorite meal... Favorite meal..._ Ruffnut wracked her brain as she kicked through the snow, both freshly fallen since the highest sun today and tightly packed from the last few snowfalls as well. She knew Fishlegs loved a good rabbit stew, but she wouldn't call it his favorite meal.

She would make fresh bread tonight, and fresh yak butter as well. She knew Fishlegs loved certain herbs folded into his butter, which she would add if they still had some from the last harvest. But what to go with it?

Ruffnut took a slight detour home to stroll through the market, hoping something would spark some inspiration. The markets were always more scarce in the winter months than in the summer, but that was to be expected from the lack of fresh produce to farm. She was able to get her hands on some of the heartier produce that tends to store well through the frost, but still no thought as to what to cook with them.

Just as she was about to break down and settle for rabbit stew, a familiar smell reached her nose. For a moment she was surrounded by the fresh wood of newly built stables and fish-filled buckets. She could feel cool scales under her hands growing steadily warmer as the rancid smell of Zippleback gas enveloped her, followed by the explosion of embers as fire scorched the air.

"Feeling better, there, Miss Ruffnut? Glad to see you roaming the markets again."

Ruffnut opened her eyes to the smiling face of Garvin, taking his place behind the stand before her. "Yeah, the morning sickness didn't seem to hit me today... Hey, how did you manage to get fish? I thought we ran out already in the stores."

"Oh, we did a while ago, but I managed to break through a bit 'o the ice below the docks yesterday. Caught quite the spread, if I do say so myself."

"What'd you manage to snag?" Ruffnut asked, setting down her bundle of produce.

"Plenty 'o catfish, cod, mackerel, a bit 'o tuna..." Garvin scratched his beard as he looked curiously at Ruffnut. "Doesn't Mr. Fishlegs enjoy pollock?"

Ruff sighed. "He does, but I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't able to get any of that."

Garvin glaced around before kneeling down to retrieve something out of reach. "Funny enough, I was able to snag two." He stood with the fish in question wrapped in his arms. "They're a bit smaller than usual, but 's better than nothing. I kept them just for the Ingermans. A thank you for helping with the boys when my wife was ill."

Ruffnut wasn't sure what to say, but she was silently thanking Thor for the perfect meal for her husband that essentially fell into her lap. "Thank you, Garvin. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Carrying her prize home, Ruffnut was suddenly quite excited to surprise her husband with an improved recipe she had been working on for a while now.

"Ruffnut, I tried to think of the best way to show you... No, no. Our families are blended now, so I just- Ugh, no! Stupid!" Fishlegs tried time and time again to wrap the words together in the perfect explanation of his gift, but the words just wouldn't flow like the descriptions on his information cards. He could write decently about tangible things. Feelings, though...

Maybe he was trying too hard. Maybe saying a simple "I love you, Ruffnut," and just handing her the package was the best way to go. But that seemed so bland, so insignificant considering how important this gift was to him.

His focus was distracted as their hut came into view and a familiar smell wafted his way. Something that hadn't touched his imagination in a while suddenly crashed over him like a flood. He was surrounded by musty rocks and lava, a metallic burning followed quickly followed by the sharp _ting_ of rock forcing a molten material into just one of uncountable potential shapes. The closer he got to the smell, the more evolved it became. He picked up on the earthy smell of salt mixing with the cooking flesh of fish. He chuckled quietly to himself, remembering the night of the twins' salt-encrusted fish on their island getaway decades ago when the great beasts of the sky still roamed loyally at their sides. Thankfully, the present smell wasn't so salt-heavy; it actually smelled quite pleasant.

By the time he opened the door, shaking the snow and chill from his body, the rich scent of fresh bread and cooked vegetables enveloped him in a warmth transcended only by...

"Welcome home, love," Ruffnut said, wiping her hands on a nearby cloth as she glided over to Fishlegs. She pressed a kiss to his cheek as she unwrapped the furs from his shoulders. Throwing the furs on their hook by the door, she eagerly wrapped her arms around him, not caring if she seemed a little desperate for his embrace. "Happy Snoggletog."

"Happy Snoggletog, my queen," he said, his smile giving away his absolute pleasure in an instant. "Though, you do know that's tomorrow, right? Where did you get this fish? It smells fresh."

Ruffnut tried to stifle her pride at the delighted glow in her husband's eyes. "Well, Garvin managed to snag some in a break in the ice yesterday. I couldn't bring myself to let that kind of Snoggletog opportunity slip by. Especially not when he saved two polluck just for us."

Fishlegs' eyes grew wide. "Pollock? Really? That's hard to snag in the warmer months, let alone the winter."

Ruffnut shrugged. "Maybe we have Snoggletog a night early? While we still have the time to be spontaneous?" she added with a chuckle, patting her stomach.

Fishlegs cradled her cheek in his hand and gently kissed her lips, wrapping his free arm around her back to pull her as close as possible. "I love you, Ruff."

She chuckled, cheeks growing warm. "You're not too bad, yourself, 'Legs." She kissed him back. "I love you, too."

Now it was Fishlegs' turn to fight the nerves. He cleared his throat and picked up the forgotten box he had set down on a chair next to him. "Well, since my gift is obviously this wonderful meal my beautiful wife made - which I am incredibly excited about, might I add - I guess I'll give you my gift now while it's still cooking." He held out the box gingerly, motioning with his head for Ruffnut to sit down. When she walked over to the couch only to stop and stare at Fishlegs, he giggled. He took his seat in the chair, patting his leg before opening up his arm. Ruffnut easily found her favorite spot, sitting on his leg and leaning against his shoulder, his arm wrapped loosely around her waist and lips pressing occasional kisses to her collarbone.

He set the box in her lap, hiding his smile in her hair. She carefully untied the strings, painstakingly choosing which corner of the box to open, inching her finger underneath the wood...

Fishlegs laughed. "For the love of Thor, Ruff, just open it!"

Ruffnut mirrored his laughter, breaking into the box. "Alright, alright." She lifted the lid and froze as the laughter slowly evaporated from her lips.

She lifted the small helmet from the box to inspect it closer. It was small enough that she knew it wasn't meant for her, but a child. _Their_ child. A thought she only then realized she never had to herself until this moment. Because the helmet didn't just boast the horns like Ruffnut's helmet, nor did it only show off the wings of the Ingermans. Instead, the Ingerman wings were slightly more exaggerated to better stand out against the outreaching Thorston horns in a perfect balancing act.

When Ruffnut didn't speak, Fishlegs did his best. "I didn't want our child to just have the Ingerman wings. He or she will still be a Thorston, and I didn't want them to forget that. So... I tried my best to combine the two. The best combination of Thorston and Ingerman, proudly shown for all to see. What do you think?" he sheepishly asked.

Suddenly, Ruffnut was _pissed off._ Not at the gift, no. The gift was perfectly thoughtful and wonderful and more than she could have ever asked for. She was pissed that she found herself fighting tears.

She angrily wiped them away, setting the helmet and box beside Fishlegs and burying her head on his shoulder.

"Babe?" he asked concerned as he wrapped his arms around her quickly. "What's wrong?"

"You made me cry, stupid," she shot back.

Fishlegs chuckled, rubbing her back. "You know I've always loved that soft side you try to bury," he gently reminded her.

"Doesn't mean _I_ like it," she clarified.

He kissed her hair. "But you like the gift?"

She pulled back to look her husband in the eye. "I love it. Of course I do. I love you."

"I love you too," he said, brushing a bit of hair from her face. He let his hand gently fall to wrap his fingers in her's, lifting them to his lips. The soft smile that graced Ruffnut's lips melted Fishlegs' heart. She squeezed his hand and pulled their interlocked fingers slowly against her stomach, leaning in to properly kiss his lips. She felt Fishlegs gently rub her lower stomach with his finger as Ruffnut relaxed into his embrace.

She wanted to savor this moment, but the tightness and burning came back to her throat as she found herself fighting tears again. She leaned back and laughed at herself as she wiped the tears away. "Well, um, dinner's probably ready by now and I'm starving."

Fishlegs offered an understanding nod. He knew she still hadn't matched his comfort level with their impending adventure in parenthood, but he also saw she was getting close. "Then let's eat, my love."

Fishlegs carefully pulled Ruffnut to her feet and followed her to the kitchen to help put together their plates. Ruffnut took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. Obviously she had never been void of emotion, but she was still getting used to having her moods so drastically different from one moment to the next by the drop of a helmet - literally.

She was getting there, though. Somewhere not so deep down, she was ecstatic about their little baby. And not just because of how happy she knew Fishlegs was.

* * *

Fishlegs' comment related to the deserted island getaway references to the Netflix owned series "Dragons: Race to the Edge," Season 3 Episode 6 entitled "A Grim Retreat."


	5. The Newest Ingerman

_***WARNING* Descriptions of a difficult birth! I will leave a summary at the bottom for those who wish to know roughly what happened but would rather not read details.**_

_I have returned! And oh boy, do I have a doozy for you guys. I'm not usually one to write super heavy angst like this, so I have absolutely no idea where this came from. But nonetheless, here we are! Expect an update soon that I promise will be much more lighthearted!_

_Also, an important thing to note! One of my headcannons is that Tuffnut studies under and eventually replaces Gothi as resident healer of New Berk. If you would like some additional details, check out my story "New Berk Headcannons" Chapter 1. But that is absolutely not necessary to understand this chapter if you just want to dive right in._

* * *

_"I'm so fat."_

_"Thor's sa- You're not fat!"_

_"I am, though!"_

_"You just have extra love, that's all!"_

_"Yeah, extra fat that people have to love."_

_"Fishlegs!" Ruffnut laughed, smacking his arm._

_"Oh, sure, hit the fat kid!" he joked, turning around. He caught ahold of Ruffnut's waist just as she tried to escape. "Oh, I don't think so! Get back here and finish what you started, dammit!"_

_Ruffnut's laughter only brought a bigger smile to Fishlegs' face as she attempted to escape. The deathgrip he had on his old tunic hanging loosely off her shoulders allowed him to free one hand to tickle her. "Hey, no! I have - fragile - packaging - Fishlegs!" she gasped between bouts of laughter._

_"Oh, not fair! The pregnancy card, what fun is that?" he laughed as he pulled her back into his chest. She melted easily into him, still smiling and arching her back as she reached behind to run her fingers through Fishlegs' beard. The gentle arch pushed her stomach forward in Fishlegs' tunic, revealing her growing baby bump. Fishlegs kissed her neck and wound his hands around her waist until they gently cradled her belly. He sighed heavily. "I could just stay home, you know."_

_"Not very responsible of you," she jested._

_He shrugged. "I can be reckless sometimes."_

_Ruffnut echoed his sigh. "We need the money."_

_"Maybe I need you more," Fishlegs whispered in her ear._

_Ruffnut shivered. "Nope. No no no, you need to leave right now," she laughed, regretfully stepping out of his embrace._

_Fishlegs groaned. "But Ruff-"_

_"Hey, you wore me out last night! I don't have the energy I used to! Whose fault is that?" She shrugged her shoulders and pointed at her husband as she walked backwards out of the room._

_He shook his head and chuckled. "Don't fall down the stairs, love."_

_"I'll do what I want!" she called back defiantly._

_"Don't I know," he laughed to himself._

* * *

"Ruffnut, _breathe!"_

Ruffnut's eyes fluttered open as she tried to focus on the room around her. Who was yelling at her? What was going on? Was someone hurt?

She heard someone breathing quickly next to her and met her husband's eyes. It took a moment, but she noticed them drowning in fear in a way she had never seen before. "Fishlegs?" she said, surprised by how weak her voice sounded.

"Ruff, babe, you have to keep breathing, please," he begged, squeezing her hand.

"Ruffnut, come on, sis, you can't give up," she heard her brother say.

She looked around the room before finding her brother rummaging with the furs at her feet. What was he doing?

Suddenly pain radiated from the top of her stomach down until she felt she was engulfed in white-hot agony. She screamed out, barely hearing the commotion going on around her, slowly fading away...

* * *

_"Babe, I'm back!" Fishlegs called as he walked in the front door, carefully sliding a wooden structure through the door frame._

_"Coming!" Ruffnut called half-asleep from the chair by the fire, her back to the door. She struggled a little to sit up, not used to the extra weight throwing her off balance._

_"Stay there, stay there," Fishlegs laughed. "I have a surprise for you."_

_"Are you laughing at my struggles?" she playfully accused over her shoulder. "What surprise?"_

_"What kind of surprise would that be if I told you what it was?" Fishlegs innocently asked._

_"I don't care much for your attitude," Ruffnut laughed._

_"Well, fear not my love," Fishlegs groaned lightly as he lifted the wood over his head and gently set it on the floor in front of his wife. "You need not wait long." He smiled sheepishly. "Surprise, beautiful."_

_Ruffnut gasped quietly. "A cradle?"_

_"Yeah, I built it myself. Tuffnut helped a bit with putting the pieces together, but I cut them all out myself. It's not much, I don't have the woodwork skills that Hiccup does, but it works."_

_Ruffnut was quiet, and Fishlegs wasn't sure how to take that. He had gotten accustomed to her emotional outbursts, but he'd never seen her so still before._

_"Ruff?" he quietly asked. "Everything okay, love?"_

_She slowly reached out her hand to Fishlegs, still not speaking. He moved towards her and took her hand, reaching around to secure his opposite hand on her back to help her sit up straighter. Her hand dropped her to mouth as she continued to stare at the small cradle at her feet._

_Fishlegs kneeled down in front of her, letting her take all the time she needed but wanting to be ready in case something was wrong. He caught a small tear rolling down her cheek as she reached forward to gently push on the side of the cradle. Her hand retreated to rest on her belly as the tiny bed rocked back and forth, and eventually slowed to a stop._

_Fishlegs reached out a hand to cover his wife's hand over their baby. Finally, Ruffnut chuckled and looked at her husband with tear filled eyes and a smile. "We're really having a baby."_

_"So I've been told," he smiled back. Ruffnut leaned her forehead on his as they both closed their eyes and felt their baby rolling over in Ruffnut's belly._

* * *

"Dammit, Ruffnut, no!" Fishlegs cried.

She slowly came back to consciousness, though she found it took immense concentration to breathe.

"What do we do?! Tuffnut, what's going on?!" he continued.

"Fishlegs, I need you to calm down," Tuffnut replied, only half paying attention.

"Calm down? My wife is fading in front of my eyes and you want me to _calm down?"_

"Yes, I do," Tuffnut shot back, voice even and only slightly raised. But the serious tone caught Fishlegs off guard and successfully called his attention long enough for Tuffnut to continue. "She needs you, Fishlegs. She needs you calm and level-headed. And so do I. I know I'm not Gothi, but Gothi did train me. This isn't the first birth I've attended, and in case you forgot, this is my twin sister we're talking about. So I need you to trust me. Understand?"

Fishlegs nodded his head and, though shaky, took a deep breath.

"Good. Now get her eyes on you and don't let her close them." Tuffnut lifted the blankets off his sister, all signs of his carefree personality pushed so far away they may never return, and muttered, "Odin please tell me this kid isn't stuck."

"_Stuck?!"_

"Fishlegs, focus!"

* * *

_"You look good, Ruff. I have to say, I'm impressed," Astrid smiled, wringing out baby Nuffink's shirt and scowling at the stew stains she just couldn't lift from the fabric._

_"What, didn't think I could do it?" Ruffnut laughed, continuing her and her husband's laundry next to Astrid._

_"I didn't say that, I always knew you could do it." Astrid began furiously scrubbing away again. "I just didn't anticipate you diving in headfirst so quickly. I mean, look at all the clothes you've already made for the baby." She laughed as she looked over her shoulder. "By the time Zephyr was born, I was lucky I had something to clothe her in."_

_"In my defense, quite a few of those are things my mom had stashed away after we outgrew them and given to me when she found out I was pregnant. I only made the two bigger ones because I'm afraid this kid won't fit in mine and Tuff's," Ruffnut admitted, glancing worriedly down at her severely swollen abdomen that she had trouble working around. She gently rubbed the spot she last felt a small kick. "How did you do it, Astrid?"_

_Astrid leaned over to squeeze Ruffnut's hand. "Relax, your body will tell you what to do. Just... Well, relax. And listen."_

* * *

"_Ruffnut, no please!"_

"Fishlegs, pull it together!"

Fishlegs didn't answer. Instead, his lower lip puckered and his eyes filled with tears as he looked at the unconscious face of his wife, struggling through labor with the child he convinced her to have, not knowing how to help her.

Tuffnut, on the other hand, was analyzing every second of the situation unfolding in front of him. He searched and searched his brain for anything, _anything_ that he could do to at least get his sister awake enough to get this baby out.

And then it clicked.

"Fishlegs! Help me get her on her side," he yelled as he ran to the side of the bed Fishlegs wasn't standing at.

"What?" Fishlegs said, resurfacing to reality.

"Roll her over towards you!" Tuffnut wasted no time sliding his hands under Ruffnut's hip and shoulder and hoisting her up on her side. Fishlegs was a smart enough man, he'd catch up. "Hold her like that, don't let her fall back," Tuffnut ordered.

Fishlegs obeyed, but wasn't convinced. "How is this supposed to help anything, Tuffnut?!"

Tuffnut kept a hand on Ruffnut's shoulder to steady her, but found her ribcage with his other hand, focusing intently. "What did I say, Fishlegs?"

"Trust you, I know, but-"

"Then shut up and trust me! Talk to her, get her awake, let me do my thing!"

Fishlegs groaned in frustration but turned to his wife, whispering loving encouragement and desperate pleas to her, ignoring Tuffnut altogether now. _Thank Thor,_ Tuffnut thought.

The imperceptible expanding of Ruffnut's rubs slowly grew with each breath she took, steadily coming deeper and faster. "That's it, Ruffnut, come on..." Tuffnut muttered.

Fishlegs, hearing the hopeful shift in Tuffnut's tone, grew more desperate in his encouragement. "Come on, Ruffnut, you can do this. I know you can, you're the strongest Viking I know, you are not going out like this!"

Ruffnut choked suddenly, inhaled sharply, and held her breath as her eyes flew open and she curled over around her stomach. Her hand flew out instinctively to reach for Fishlegs, unfortunately cracking his nose rather than grabbing his arm as she had intended. Fishlegs stumbled back and shook the surprise and pain from his head. "I deserved that," he said. "Ruff! That's it babe, you're okay, we've got you!"

Tuffnut seemed oblivious to the unintentional quarrel, still too focused on keeping Ruffnut and his niece or nephew alive to pay attention. "That's it, sis, wake up."

Ruffnut screamed in pain as her stomach tightened again. What the hell was Astrid talking about? Do what her body told her to do?! Her body wasn't telling her shit except that _it hurt!_

Ruffnut could barely tell what was going on around her, too distracted from the pain that exploded through her body again and again and never seemed to let up. She hardly noticed her brother and husband pulling her up in the bed so she was half sitting, half on her side, and Fishlegs crawling in bed behind her to hold her up. She definitely didn't notice her brother touching her in ways that only her husband ever had before to check what progress the baby was making (which Tuffnut was _not_ fond of, but so is the life of the resident healer, he supposed). But suddenly irresistible urges crashed over her that she couldn't ignore, and just when she thought that maybe Astrid might have had a point with her advice...

All the pain was gone. The room was silent, its occupants were still, and everyone held their breath as they waited for the newest occupant to take her first.

Ruffnut had barely registered the fact that she gave birth when her baby's cries pierced the room.

Tuffnut breathed the biggest sigh of relief as he lifted the baby up to Ruffnut's chest. Ruffnut was a little slow to react, but Fishlegs immediately wrapped his arms around her to hold their firstborn to her skin. "Congrats on the baby girl," Tuffnut said breathlessly. But then his eyes landed on his sister's pale expression. "Ruff? Ruffnut. Hey! Sis, come on!"

"I'm fine!" Ruffnut cried, looking up at her brother. She held her composure for a moment, but then her face puckered, followed quickly by sobs.

The pink color that bloomed in her face as she cried made Tuffnut sigh in relief again. He turned to grab a clean blanket to cover the baby as Fishlegs wrapped his wife and daughter tightly in his arms. "Ruffnut? What's wrong, love? You did it, it's over."

Ruffnut shook her head as she wrapped her daughter in the blanket to keep her warm and cuddled her close to her chest. She started slowly combing the soft wisps of hair that glided along the baby's head and whispered, "She's just so beautiful."

Relief washed over Fishlegs for the first time that day as he nestled his head on Ruffnut's shoulder, allowing himself to support his wife and admire their gift from Freyja. He kissed her hair and wrapped her safely in his arms, happy she couldn't see the quiet tears of joy rolling down his cheeks. "She's perfect."

Ruffnut sniffed before scrubbing her eyes and nose. She cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. "Now she just needs the perfect name."

"What did you have in mind?" Fishlegs mused, feeling as if he were in a dream.

Ruffnut laughed, but her eyes never left her daughter's face. "Oh no, I did the hard work. You can think of a name."

Fishlegs smiled. He reached around to stroke his daughter's cheek. At his touch, the babe opened her mouth wide and seemed to lean into his hand. Ruffnut sighed happily and melted into her husband's chest. "Sounds fair enough," he sighed, kissing Ruffnut's hair.

He would think of a perfect name soon enough. But right now, he just wanted to bask in the glory of this moment, feeling his wife and his daughter breathing, alive and well in his arms.

* * *

_TL;DR/TMA;DWR (too much angst; didn't wanna read): Ruffnut runs into some... Difficulties bringing the new baby into the world. As she fades in and out, she has 3 flashbacks; one of silliness between her and Fishlegs, one of Fishlegs bringing home a surprise (a cradle he made for the baby), and one of Astrid giving her some advice. Tuffnut, being the new resident healer for New Berk, attends the birth, and is uncharacteristically focused and serious. He keeps Fishlegs calm and essentially saves his sister and the baby (though he would never admit it; he's just happy she's healthy). Ruffnut gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, with whom she and Fishlegs instantly fall in love with. And Ruffnut charges Fishlegs with the task of finding the perfect name for their perfect daughter. (And yes, I've known what he's going to name her from Chapter 1 :) too be continued!)_


	6. New Names, Old Traditions

When Fishlegs woke, the first thing he registered were the cries of his newborn daughter, only a few days old. That he expected at this point. The second thing he registered was the warm morning sunlight stretching into the room. The baby had woken so much through the night that he honestly had expected it to still be pitch black outside.

Ruffnut stirred as well, stretching and moving to get up. Fishlegs gently leaned over his wife, pulling her into his chest and kissing her hair as he guided her head back to her pillow. "Stay here, love, I'll bring her to you."

He scrubbed his eyes with his hands, willing himself to stay awake, focusing on his daughter's voice. Oddly, he wasn't even upset about the sleepless nights; every cry from his daughter was a reminder that she, and his wife as well, survived the delivery. His family was still intact, and if that meant he had to survive moons upon moons of sleepless nights, he would gladly do so.

"Hey, beautiful," he whispered, lifting his daughter from her cradle and snuggling her to his chest. "Daddy's got you, it's okay."

He turned back to his sleepy wife, who had pulled herself up in bed and was removing her tunic. She shivered as the chilly morning air brushed her skin.

Fishlegs joined her back in bed, handing over their daughter so Ruffnut could place her at her breast. He grabbed a small blanket that he had been keeping next to the bed and wrapped it around Ruffnut's shoulders. She snuggled into his chest as their baby suckled away, and he happily wrapped his arms around both girls. He kept a secure arm around the baby in case Ruffnut got a little too sleepy (which she had every right to, of course).

He kissed her temple. "Good morning, my love," he whispered.

She smiled. "Morning, handsome."

"How are you feeling today?"

"Sleepy. Happy you don't have to go back to work yet," she said, twisting her neck to place a kiss on Fishlegs' chest.

"Me too." Fishlegs was quite excited about the time off himself; when Hiccup heard about the struggle Ruffnut went through during the birth, he told Fishlegs to take as much time as he needed before he returned. Hiccup remembered his own fear when Nuffink was born early not even a year prior. Being Chief, he couldn't take all the time off that he wanted to spend with his wife and struggling boy. But he _could_ give Fishlegs the time he needed to care for his recovering wife and new baby girl, even if it meant Hiccup had to pick up some of the slack. But he was okay with that, especially for his closest friend.

Just as Ruffnut began to relax again, eyes closed and peaceful smiling gracing her face, the babe in her arms cried out. Ruffnut was startled awake again, and Fishlegs gently squeezed her to calm her and hold the baby in her arms. "It's okay! She probably just needs burped," Fishlegs encouraged.

Ruffnut took a few deep breaths, calming her racing heart, before lifting the babe to burp. "Feisty little one, aren't we?" she cooed. "I'm sure you got that from Daddy, huh?"

Fishlegs chuckled. "Sure, _definitely_ not from you."

"Of course not, I'm perfectly innocent." The babe burped and was calm for a moment. Ruffnut sighed and relaxed back into Fishlegs' chest, but then her eyebrows stitched together. "You know, she didn't really eat as much-"

The baby started screaming again, making Fishlegs chuckle as Ruffnut put her back to her breast. The babe calmed instantly, happily suckling away yet again.

Ruffnut sighed and relaxed again. "Alright, fine, _maybe_ she got my attitude," she muttered.

Fishlegs chuckled. "Will you be alright if I leave you for a bit today? Just to pick up some supplies and make sure Hiccup isn't drowning yet. Trader Casimir arrived yesterday and he doesn't stop in often."

Ruffnut hesitated, wanting to say no.

"I'll wait until you're asleep," Fishlegs offered, sensing her uncertainty, "and I'll make sure her cradle is right beside you."

Ruffnut considered this for a moment before sighing. The only reason she wanted him to stay was that she was enjoying his snuggles. But Casimir always brought things from much further reaches than most other traders that visited Berk, and she didn't want him to miss that opportunity. "Yeah, that's fine. Just try not to be long, okay?"

"Of course." Fishlegs smiled and kissed her hair. "Won't be a problem at all. Trust me, I'd rather be here. I just want to see what kind of books he has."

"Mmm..." Ruffnut sighed, growing sleepy again now that their daughter had finished feeding. Her eyes were closed and Fishlegs noticed her thumb absentmindedly caressing the infant's shoulder. He slid a supportive arm underneath the baby and let his wife drift off to sleep before slipping the baby out of her grasp. Gently lying her into the cradle, he whispered, "Be good for Momma," loving smile never faltering.

* * *

"Fishlegs! What're you doing out? Is everything alright back home?" Hiccup fell in step with the new father with five-year-old Zephyr perched on his shoulders, little hands gripping his hair. She waved enthusiastically to Fishlegs.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Fishlegs replied, waving back to Zephyr with a smile. "I just wanted to catch Casimir before he took off again."

"Oh, well I could've checked the goods out for you," Hiccup offered as Zephyr giggled and reached out to Fishlegs, catching her as she gracefully toppled off his shoulders.

Fishlegs took Zephyr and hugged her to his chest. "Nah, it's alright. Ruff and the baby are asleep anyway."

"Um, Uncle Fishy?" Zephyr squeaked, patting Fishlegs' cheeks. "Um, cou-could I meet the new baby when Aunt Ruffie is feeling better?"

"If you want to, Iou want to, I don't see why not," Fishlegs said. Zephyr smiled brightly before snuggling her head on Fishlegs' shoulder. He chuckled and patted her back. "How are things going without me?" He asked Hiccup, a hint of guilt in his voice.

"Ah, you don't worry about that. Keep focused on the wife and baby. That's an order from your Chief," Hiccup added with a wink. "And let Ast and I know if either of you need anything.

Hiccup swooped his daughter back onto his shoulders as they bounced away, leaving Fishlegs to board the trader's boat and begin combing through the goods on deck.

"Mr. Ingerman!" A deep voice bellowed as the pale, mousey-brown-haired man named Casimir emerged from below deck. "How's my favorite scholar? The young Chief mentioned you had some struggles with your new little one."

"We did, but her and Ruff are looking a lot better today," Fishlegs mused, eyes finding the books stacked neatly in a box. "Anything interested over there?"

"'Fraid not, sire. I must admit my trades have been fairly focused on some new spices coming out of the Malays and Java and Sumatra areas. If only Trader Nadim would let me get my hands on some," he added under his breath.

"New spices?"

"That's right." Casimir perked up. "One nut in particular - a seed, rather - creates two different spices. One from the outer covering, the other from the innermost flesh of the fruit stone. From what I gathered, it has incredible medicinal properties, the potential to cure every ailment you can think of! Oh, and the _smell_, Mr. Ingerman. Such a... A warm, inviting aroma. A hint of sweet, but with a unique bite. Such a difficult experience to describe, but quite pleasant. I can only imagine the flavor it may add to foods!"

Fishlegs was fully immersed in Casimir's depiction, suddenly desiring to experience this new substance. "So, wait, you don't have any?"

"No, sir. I know one trader well, named Nadim, that typically supplies myself and a few other traders with goods from this particular island region. He's shown me the seed, taunted me and the other traders with it. Sadly, he won't surrender a pinch, no matter what I offer in exchange."

"Why not?"

Casimir huffed. Apparently the typical clients don't have the desire for the spice that his home region does. Claims the exchange isn't worth it, he can obtain much more for even a single nut than any of us European traders would offer." He shrugged. "The demand simply isn't there."

Fishlegs was confused. "Then why do you want it so bad?"

"Because, my good sir," Casimir leaned in, "people tend not to share the things they value most. And that seed is the one good Nadim refuses to trade with us. The other traders don't much care. But I wish to know _why_."

Fair point, Fishlegs thought. Though the affairs of traders was hardly his concern. Still, his curiosity got the best of him, per usual. "What's this spice called, anyway?"

* * *

As Fishlegs carefully eased open the door, he peeked inside the doorway. But his attempts of remaining quiet seemed a little silly when he found Ruffnut sitting in the main room, curled in a ball in her favorite chair, their daughter resting on Ruff's knees in her grasp close to her face. She didn't notice Fishlegs walk in as she cooed to the baby squirming and occasionally glancing to her mother in her lap.

"Hey, you're up," Fishlegs softly praised.

"The bedroom was starting to smell funky," she cooed, still smiling at the small babe. "Needed some fresh surroundings" Fishlegs chuckled as he sat in another chair in the main room, happily watching his wife and daughter bonding. Ruffnut looked up at him a little confused, seemingly realizing he was empty-handed. "Casimir didn't have anything interesting?"

Fishlegs shrugged. "Nothing tangible, no."

Ruffnut was about to ask what he meant when the baby in her arms squeaked and yawned. She giggled, distracted for a moment, and enthusiastically waved her husband over. He struggled to dilute his overwhelming glee as he slipped into the chair with his wife, pulling her (and by default, his daughter) onto his lap as they admired the baby. "More stories?" Ruff whispered as the babe quieted.

"Yeah, actually. Apparently another trader is hoarding this special new spice." He found his fingers gently gliding along the soft skin of the baby's arm.

"Mmm. How special?" Ruffnut's head found its place on Fishlegs' shoulder, kissing his cheek before settling in.

"Well, one plant gives you two different spices," he began, snuggling his family in the quiet, dying lights of the day. The fire crackled softly as it danced through the room through its warmth and shadows, casting away the dark and dreary world outside. "The outside is soft, and open, and you can see glimpses of the inside through it. The inside is tough, hard, strong. But when you break it open and grind it down, it has all kinds of uses. Medicinal, aromatic, flavoring. It has a strong smell, but tastes warm, a little spicy, with a hint of sweet."

"I'm surprised you didn't bring any home to experiment with," Ruffnut softly joked before he could continue.

"He didn't have any," Fishlegs gently gave with a knowing smile, "he was just telling me about it." He bit his lips as he mulled over his next thought.

Ruffnut sensed the hesitation. She looked up at him curiously. "What?"

He blushed. "Nothing, I just... I think I know what I want to name her."

She thought for a moment over the placement of his admittance. "The spice?"

"Well, it's soft and open and inviting on the outside. Tough on the inside. Warm, a little spicy and a little sweet at its essence. Helpful in a lot of ways." He shrugged. "That's kind of how I want her to be as she grows. Soft and sweet on the outside but tough and not afraid to stand up for herself on the inside."

Ruffnut blinked. "That's... That's so sweet, babe."

Fishlegs smiled sheepishly and blushed brighter. "You said it had to be perfect."

Ruffnut chuckled, freeing one hand to tap his head. "If it came from this brain, it would've been perfect by nature."

Fishlegs shook his head, but he was still smiling. "I haven't even told you what the name is yet, and that's the most perfect part."

Ruffnut laughed at herself. "I guess not. What is it?"

"Nutmeg."

Fishlegs watched as the realization bloomed on Ruffnut's face in utter joy.

"It's perfect because she gets her own 'Nut' nameclaim. But in her own unique way." Fishlegs smiled proudly, quite impressed with himself.

Ruffnut smacked his arm as tears welled up in her eyes. "I get it you asshole you don't have to explain it," she joked through tears. Damn emotions.

Fishlegs wasn't at all offended; he laughed and kissed Ruffnut's hair. "Does that mean I have your approval?"

"Did you need it in the first place?" Ruffnut asked sarcastically, scrubbing the tears away with one hand, the other still securing her daughter to her chest.

"It'd be nice," Fishlegs teased. He reached out to tickle his daughter's belly. "What do you think, Nutmeg? You think Momma likes that name?"

Nutmeg stretched and squirmed at the touch, eyes blinking open for a moment before a yawn overtook her face and shut them again. She quickly descended back into a light snooze.

Ruffnut grabbed Fishlegs' chin between her first finger and thumb of her free hand, pulling his lips against hers. "I love you. Even when you make me cry."

Fishlegs chuckled. "I love you, too. Even when you hit me."

Ruffnut rolled her eyes, snuggling back into Fishlegs chest as the baby let out a short, soft cry. "Oh, I'm sorry, did we leave you out?" Ruffnut cooed. "I love you, too, Nutmeg."

Fishlegs smiled down at his daughter as he rested his head on top of Ruffnut's. "We both do."

* * *

_So, what do you guys think of the name?_

_I feel like the Ingermans are getting so much more love from me than the Haddocks right now... Oh well!_

_As promised, the fluffiest of fluff to follow the horrid angst I presented to you before! (Forgive me my lovely readers!) Things are going to start moving a little faster both here and in Life After They Left for those that read that as well as I'm working to set the stage for a third story that pulls both LATL and Meet the Ingermans together. More so in LATL probably than in here, but the two will have a lot of intertwining over the next few chapters. But no worries! I will still fill MTI and LATL with fluffy oneshots as they come to me even after the groundwork for the new fic is laid out and I start posting chapters for it!_

_And for those that are interested I'll have a more detailed announcement after I get ready to start posting things for the new fic. I did post a teeny tiny little teaser on Tumblr, but that's all I'm giving out for now :)_

_See you soon with more of little Nutmeg!_


	7. The Simple Things

_More Ingerman family fluff for you! As always, let me know what you think, and feel free to let me know what you'd like to see from this sweet little family in the future!_

* * *

"Do you have to go?" Ruffnut pleaded with her husband, swaying with their daughter in her arms.

Fishlegs chuckled. "I don't think Hiccup would appreciate me taking more time off. It's already been a month." He closed the distance between them as he pulled his tunic over his head. "I think I'm convinced you and Nutmeg are okay."

"But I like having you here," Ruffnut pouted playfully.

"You won't be alone," he said, kissing her cheek. "And besides, Astrid's coming with Nuffink and Zephyr."

"Astrid can't do the things you can for me," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Fishlegs choked on air. "Heh, um, you know" - he cleared this throat loudly - "you keep that up, and Nutmeg won't be an only child for long."

Ruffnut rolled her eyes and stepped to the side. "Alright, alright, get out of here. Go do your _job_," she teased.

He smiled and leaned in for a long, slow, lingering kiss. "I love you."

"I... Uh, love you too," Ruffnut sputtered, trying to reign in the onslaught of not-so-ladylike desires that crashed over her.

Fishlegs chuckled and kissed the top of Nutmeg's head before stepping out the door. "Astrid will be here soon!"

Ruffnut shook her head with a smile as the door shut, followed closely by Nutmeg's quiet squeak that quickly grew into a cry.

"Oh, baby girl, I know," Ruffnut cooed, swaying her way to her favorite chair by the fire. "I don't like when Daddy leaves either."

As her daughter quieted, Ruffnut stilled, trying to place the unfamiliar sound slowly filling her home.

Wait.

That was _silence_.

And she didn't want to immediately _sleep through it!_

Moving painstakingly slow so as to not jostle and frighten her infant, she lowered herself to rest in the oversized chair. She sighed a quiet breath of relief and pulled her knees up, resting Nutmeg against her thighs.

And then there was a soft knock at the door.

So much for peace and quiet.

The door slowly creaked open. "Aunt Ruffie?"

"You guys can come in, Zephyr," Ruffnut quietly replied over her shoulder.

"Oh, um... It's just me, Auntie," Zephyr said shyly, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"Where's your mom and Nuffink?"

"Um, well... Nuffy wasn't being a good boy today..." Zephyr started, craning her neck to try to see the new baby. "And Momma didn't want to bring him here and scare the baby... So, um, so Daddy brought me before he went to work."

Ruffnut wasn't sure if she was relieved for Astrid's thoughtfulness or disappointed in the lack of entertainment. "Well, don't be a stranger, Zeph," she teased. "Come over and meet the baby."

Zephyr smiled and stepped further into her aunt's home, slowing her walk as she stepped around the chair. Her eyes widened when they finally found the sleeping baby, and she giggled behind her hands.

"Come on, snuggle up," Ruffnut coaxed, freeing one arm and patting the open space next to her. "I know you want to." She extended her arm in a further invitation.

Zephyr giggled again as she climbed up onto the couch next to Ruffnut, who secured her free arm around the girl to make sure she didn't fall. Zephyr grabbed Ruffnut's shoulder to steady herself, and used her other hand to reach out to the baby. She stopped herself, though, remembering how fragile her little brother was a year earlier when he was born.

"It's okay, you can touch her," Ruffnut encouraged. She extended her legs slightly, enough that if she lifted her arm from her daughter she wouldn't slide off Ruffnut's thighs in her deep sleep. "See? Feel her hair." Ruffnut demonstrated softly stroking the infant's head. "Feel how soft it is?"

Zephyr looked to her aunt, who nodded in confirmation that, yes, it was really okay, before reaching out to lightly pet the baby's head. She giggled quietly and let her hands fall to pet her little arms instead. "She looks so squishy!"

Ruffnut laughed quietly. "Yeah, she does, doesn't she? A lot different from baby Nuffink, huh?"

"Maybe. But not anymore," Zephyr said, scrunching her nose. "He's very squishy now."

"Oh, is he?"

"Uh-huh," Zephyr confirmed, before turning a little more somber. "But he wasn't before. He was tiny. Teeny tiny."

"Yeah, he was. A lot smaller than her, huh?"

"Yeah," Zephyr said quietly, remembering how scared her Momma and Daddy had been that Baby Nuffink wasn't going to be okay. "But... But, she's going to be okay, right Aunt Ruffie?"

Ruffnut's heart swelled. "She's going to be just fine, Zeph, don't worry. Just like Baby Nuff is now, right?"

Zephyr took a deep breath and nodded. "Right." She looked back down to the baby and smiled again. "What's her name, what's her name?!"

Laughing, Ruffnut said, "Uncle Fishlegs named her Nutmeg."

Zephyr smiled a big, toothy grin at Ruffnut before turning back to the baby. "Hi, Nutmeg!" She said, and then leaned in and lowered her voice just a little. "We're going to be best friends."

Ruffnut bit her lip and tried to hold back tears, ignoring the fact that she still seemed to be a little off from the pregnancy hormones - even after not being pregnant for a month.

Zephyr continued, "And you're really gonna like Nuffink. He's my little brother. He's... Kinda silly and crazy right now, but I'm sure he'll calm down..." Zephyr stared off into space for a moment. "Eventually..."

Ruffnut snickered. "Is Mommy having trouble with the new baby?"

Zephyr nodded. "He walks now!"

Ruffnut shuddered internally. She did not envy the Haddocks.

Fishlegs was only half listening to Hiccup as he talked about a book collection of some sort on his way home. The first full day away from his wife and daughter had been an agonizing one, and he was sure everyone noticed. He was more distracted than he was present the entire day, but was so busy from being a month behind that he didn't have time to go home for lunch to see them.

"Legs?" Hiccup's voice broke through. "Don't you think?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right, that's great."

"The fact that we don't have traders coming as often is great?" Hiccup clarified.

When did they get on that topic? "Oh, uh, no, no it's not."

Hiccup chuckled. "Thinking about Ruff and Nutmeg?"

Fishlegs sighed. "I'm sorry, Hiccup. It's just-"

"I know, trust me, I get it," Hiccup reassured him with a pat on the back. "The first day away is always rough. You don't have to explain to me."

Fishlegs smiled at him. "Thanks, Chief."

Needless to say, Fishlegs was overwhelmingly relieved when he finally opened the door to his home, quickly finding Ruffnut and Zephyr cooing over a happily squirming Nutmeg.

They looked up as the men entered the main room, Zephyr's already-bright eyes shining more. "Daddy! Look at Nutmeg!"

Hiccup laughed. "I see! Did you have a good day with Ruffnut and the baby?" he asked, beckoning her over with his hands.

Zephyr hesitated for a moment, looking down at Nutmeg.

"Zeph, baby, we'll be back to see Nutmeg in no time," Hiccup laughed again. "But right now Mommy needs our help with Nuffink, don't you think?"

Zephyr patted Nutmeg's head and sighed. "The work of a sister is never done, is it, Aunt Ruffie?"

Fishlegs and Hiccup snickered as Ruffnut smiled and said, "No it is not, Zephyr. No it is not."

Zephyr ran to the door and took Hiccup's hand. "Come on, Daddy! Momma needs our help!"

Hiccup looked back to his friends and rolled his eyes, waving as he shut the door behind him.

"Did Hiccup tell you Nuffink can walk now?" Ruffnut mused.

Fishlegs thought for a moment. "Well, that's not all that strange. I mean he did just turn one-"

"By himself?" Ruffnut added with a mischievous smile.

"You mean-"

"Literally just stands up and walks like it's no problem? Supposedly," she shrugged.

"Oh, oh good. Odin help us all, we're done for," Fishlegs prayed as he joined Ruffnut.

Ruffnut laughed and leaned back into him, pulling Nutmeg to her chest. "That's what I said, too."

Fishlegs happily wrapped his arms around Ruffnut and caressed Nutmeg's check. "How did my lovely ladies do without me today?"

"We missed you a lot." She turned her head to kiss his cheek, but he was faster. He caught her lips in a quick kiss instead, making her giggle, before leaning in for a deeper one.

"I missed you both, too," he said softly.

Fishlegs wasn't sure if it was his exhaustion seeping into his bones or if he had simply spent more time working today than he thought, but the rest of the evening flew by far too fast for his liking. Dinner was finished and cleaned up in no time, the fire slowly dying, the sun long gone from the sky. Before he knew it, Ruffnut was standing and stretching, musing that it was getting late.

Fishlegs softly replied, "You go ahead and go to bed, love. I think I'm going to stay up for a bit."

Ruffnut was going to protest, but then she caught the soft smile and glimmer of adoration in her husband's eyes as he looked down at their sleeping girl. So instead, she simply leaned over to kiss him, whispered, "I love you," and went off to bed.

As silence fell over the house, Fishlegs watched the quick rise and fall of his daughter's chest as she slept in his arms. It was such a simple sight, and yet one that he never grew tired of seeing. Not after the image of her still and blue body laying limp in Tuffnut's arms was seared into his brain. Not after those agonizing hours of Ruffnut fading in and out, followed by the even more agonizing minutes waiting for Nutmeg to take her first breath. No, each breath she took was precious, and it was a sight Fishlegs prayed he would continue to see until he breathed his own last breath. It was a sight that he refused to take for granted.

Ruffnut told him that she didn't even remember the stretch of time between her birth and her first breath. She simply remembered the pain ceased, and then her daughter was in her arms, pink and breathing and lively. And Fishlegs thanked the gods every day that Ruffnut was spared the torment of those few minutes. She had been through enough, she didn't need that memory on top of it.

Fishlegs smiled. "You're so beautiful, baby girl," he whispered, leaning over to kiss her head. She squirmed slightly in his arms and yawned but otherwise didn't react. Though it was enough to bring a small happy tear to Fishlegs' eye. "I promise, I'll protect you. I'll always keep you safe. I'll always fight for you."

He smiled. "And I'll always love you. You'll always be my baby girl. The strongest of the Valkyrie and the sweetest of the Vikings. More than you may ever know. But I'll know. And that's all that matters."

She yawned again, and then her eyes fluttered open. Her face scrunched up as if she was about to cry, but then softened. She seemed like she was exploring her father's face.

Fishlegs smiled. "Hello, beautiful."

She blinked as he spoke, eyes continuing to trace his face.

Fishlegs chuckled. "Curious little one, huh? You get that from me."

She started to turn her head side to side, but her gaze kept returning to her father's face, staring up in wonder.

And Fishlegs started to cry.

He laughed at himself as the tears fell down his cheeks. "Oh, look at me. All you have to do is look at Daddy and I'm a mess. Completely at your mercy."

She brought her hands to her mouth, but her eyes never left her father's face.

"Gods, I love you so much." He brushed her cheek with his thumb, which she turned into. "You may not know what that means yet, but I promise you will. That's all you'll ever get from your mom and I. More love and support than you'll know what to do with."

She yawned again, eyes fluttering between opened and closed, caught somewhere between wanting to sleep and wanting to investigate her father more.

Fishlegs smiled. "You can be whatever you want to be, and your mom and I will still love you with all of our hearts."

She closed her eyes again, but this time they stayed closed. Fishlegs took a few more moments to watch her, to make sure she was still breathing, to make sure she wasn't leaving him anytime soon. And eventually he was satisfied enough to carry her to their room and lay her in her cradle. He was going to leave it across the room where she normally slept, but after a moment of deliberation, he couldn't help pulling her bed right next to the bed he shared with Ruffnut.

He knew she'd be okay, that she would continue to breathe through the night just like she had for the last month. But he also knew that if she was anything like her mother, she'd make use of her independence in no time. So for now, while she was still so small and dependent on her parents, Fishlegs would take advantage of the chance to keep her close. And he prayed that even when she did grab ahold of that independence, she would still love him too. And maybe stay relatively close. At least.


End file.
